NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Issue 122, 26 May 1933, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The German Viewpoint. Ah unusual letter which came bci'oro the Victoria College Council last evening was from «l German publishing firm. It was written, in German, and was translated as follows by Professor T. 'A. Hunter: "We hereby earnestly, appeal, to t our friends abroad to give no credence to the world-wide ■exaggeratioii concerning German horrors. The national revolution has taken place with a calm and discipline such as have characterised no revolution until now. The Government is completely master of the situation. It is, above all, the teachers of the world, and especially our fellow-publishers, and co-operators and "subscribers to the 'International Journal' (the firm's publication) that wo should like to ask to do everything in their power to 'prevent the poisoning of the international atmosphpe to Germany's disadvantage." ~, The letter was received without comment. Aviation on West Coast. The aeroplane ''Kia Ora," a metal Gypsy Moth, which was flown by Oscar Garden from England to Australia, was flown from. Wellington to Hokitika recently by Messrs. Firth and Swan, of Auckland. During an interview with a number of airmen at Hokitika, Mr. F. Benton, a Hokitika pilot, said-tliat an aetoplane would bo landed at Lyttelton'on Juno 13 to the order of Mr. 11. T. Parry, of Hokitika. The'inachine, which is a British Bobinsoii'.Bedwing with seats side by side, . will be the 'second in Hokitika. It was also stated that a tourist service was to be expected on the Coast before very long.! Little Grey Owl Pest. Grave alarm is felt-by members of the Native Birds . Committco of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society because of the presence of the imported little' grey owl in the society's district (states the "Christehurch Times"). -The bird is now found in ever-increasing numbers, vne&r Christchurch, and constitutes a" menace to the smaller native birds. Bopresentations havo been made to southern societies to co-operate in offering a bonus for the destruction of the owls. It is also hoped that sportsmen will destroy the birds whenever possible. Explosion on West Coast. The Reefton correspondent of the "Grey River. Argus" reports tliat at Capleston in the early hours of Sunday morning last what iwas presumed to be a bomb was. thrown at a boardinghouse. There was aloud explosion, the noise being heard at Cronadun, some thrde and a half; miles away. No one was injured, but the explosion shattered the windows of the house and a great deal of crockery inside the building was broken. On Tuesday the Reef ton police arrested two men, and they are to appear at Greymouth .on Tuesday next. A Valuable Institution. . The value of the service rendered by the Wellington Convalescent Home, Oriental Bay, was warmly acknowledged by members of the Wellington Hospital Board yesterday afternoon. The general purposes committee recommended that, subject to Ministerial approval being obtained, a grant of £100 be made' to the trustees of the home in recognition of the work done in the after-care of hospital patients. Mrs. P. Fraser said the service rendered by the home had been a public boon. In her opinion the grant should be increased to £150. Mrs. Fraser moved accordingly. Mr. F., Castle (chairman) and Mr. G. Petherick approved of the suggestion of Mrs. Fraser. Mr. A. J. McCurdy eulogised the service rendered by the home. Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell also spoke in high terms of appreciation of the help given by the home to convalescent patients from the hospital. He had been assured by the matron, that during the past two years there had not been a complaint made by a patient of the treatment received at- the .Wellington Hospital.. The Convalescent Home was a clearing-house of the hospital. He approved, of the grant being" increased. The motion to increase the grant from £100 "to £150 was.carried. A Cheerful Notice. A Lauibton Quay laud agent displayed the other- day a notice which must have, caused a chuckle or two. Outside his premises was a blackboard, and on it, witli the exception of a square in the middle, wero crisscrossed. ■ coloured chalk linos. The centre portion was reserved 'for Ihis notice^ neatly executed "Wasn't the .Depression Awful."

Spelling of a Street Name. A request by the Wellington College Board of Governors that the. spelling of Patcrson Street near the Wellington College, which has been spelled "Patterson" Street on the name plate, should be corrected, has been granted by the City Council. Paterson Street was named after the Boy. James Paterson, who was a member of the Wellington College Board of Governors from 1875 to 1898. A Necessary Evil. ' The opinion that a restriction on the Dominion's exports to the United Kingdom'is necessary, though undesirable, was expressed by Mr. A. Stuart, M.P., to a "Bangitikei Advocate" reporter. "Xo matter how much we may be opposed to a quota," he said, "what sense is there in pouring our exports into Great Britain for disposal ii a glutted market in prices tlikt would barely pay sea freight and handlingcharges?" Mr. Stuart said he would like to hear from Mr. Poison and someothers what their remedy would be if the present low prices continued and the exports failed to pay* freezing and other overhead charges. Gold From Coromandel. The Coromandel County Council recently obtained a legal opinion upon its position regarding gold being taken secretly out of the county and sold in, Auckland, states, the' "New Zealand Herald." Mr.,B. Dawson said that when he was chairman, he had received authentic information that some 17 ounces of gold had been taken away and sold. This prevented the county from receiving its gold revenue, and the practice .must be stopped. The opinion showed that steps .should'be taken to obtain returns from authorised gold buyers, as these would show where any gold was obtained. The clerk said that suspicions were raised by ;the decrease in gold revenue,, which was only £17 last year, compared with £22 the previous year, in .'. spite -of increased mining activity. , The clerk was authorised to obtain the necessary returns, councillors remarking that a lot of gold was being smuggled out of the country. Strain of Modern Life. , "I am sure that it i'was, never intended that life should become such a strain- as' it "is," said the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. G. ,W. Hutchison), speaking at the Creditmen's Club lunchen in Milne and Clioyce's Keception Hall, Auckland on Wednesday (reports the "jNew' Zealand Herald"). "Indeed," he added, "were ijfc not for periods of relaxation and restful irresponsibility, few men in public office would be able to carry on for any length of time. Life would become intolerable." The social tension that was part of the level of civilisation to which the world had risen made demands upon a man that tried his fibre to the utmost. Cause and Effect. A doctor giving evideuce in the Supreme Court, yesterday afternoon was referred by counsel to a, passage in a medical text book' dealing with arterio-selerosis (stiffening 'of the blood, vessels) of the brain. Ho was asked if he agreed with the illustration given in the book, that a person suffering from that condition might not know his house, his wife, or surroundings after, playing a gAme t of golf. "Did you say golf?" inquired the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers). "Might not that apply also to a person not suffering from that' condition1!!" (Laughter.) Maori's Remarkable Memory. During his address'at the Victoria League's "at home", at Dunedin on Wednesday, Dean Cruickshank stated that the European had taught the Maori to rely Upon the written word instead of upon his remarkable memory, states the "Otago Daily Times." As an illustration of the powers of memorising possessed by the Maoris, ho told how a Native, in giving evidence before a commission in the North Island, had repeated the' names of his ancestors for three days, over 1000 names being involved. No one had been able to contradict him, but if he could have been tripped his claim to certain land would have been disputed. After the Maori's feat had been completed the commission had taken an early adjournment, and the chairman, passing a nearby hotel a few minutes later, had heard the now familiar voice exclaim, "I have- kept going for three good days. Now I think I can have three beers instead of two." Britain Stands Alone. , Declaring that there was in the world no other great force for peace than Great Britain, Mr. P. Milner, head master of the Waitaki Boys' High School' and a representative of the Boyal Empire Society, drew a sharplydefined picture of the state of the other leading nations of the world, at the Empire Day dinner in Christchurch on Wednesday night, states the "Christ; church Times." Mr. Milnef asked what.force was there in. the world to bring about peace but tho British Empire? ;' Eu^sia' was working put ;a dubious experiment, and, not content with activities within her owri. borders, was carrying on a campaign of virulent propaganda in other countries. Germany, despairing of the equalisation of armaments, had placed her faith in a.spurious and fictitious Mussolini who had embarked on a crusade..of provocative nationalism. France was obsessed with, what could be termed cynical realism. America continued to withdraw from the world and to. maintain her aloofness of the last 150 years, leaving only Britain to carry on the movement for peace. The intrepidity of. Britain's task was wonderful. Her sincerity of purpose and fairmindedness had induced General Smuts, an erstwhile foe of Britain, to declare that the British Empire, containing as it did the seeds of liberty and justice, was the hope of the world. Wellington College. Old boys of Wellington College who attended tho annual meeting of their association at the college on Wednesday night must have been impressed with tho great transformation that has taken place thero since most of them were at school; Present-day pupils have the advantage of fine buildings and very much better facilities. Big improvements have been made to the grounds, and in this an interesting survey was given by the principal (Mr. W. A. Armour) of work accomplished, and that which .'it is hoped to have carried out 'in the future. Tho big gilt-framed portrait in oils of the late revered headmaster (Mr. J. P. .Firth, C;M.G.), or the .''Boss" as he was affectionately. known, looked; down from its place- on the wall on those wh6 attended the meeting, as they walked up the stairs in the warm school building. ■ Under this portrait there is a bronze tablet to the memory of Mr. Firth which was unveiled last year and is the work of one of Mr. Firth's old friends, Mr. W. B. Boclc, since deceased. These two striking tributes to' one who was a great headmaster were features in which considerable interest'was taken. The holding of the meeting at the college brought old boys back to the school in more ways tljan one. Work is proceeding satisfactorily on the new playing ground under construction at the college, according to the report of the headmaster (Mr. W. A. Armour), presented to a meeting of the College Board of Governors yesterday. It would probably be advisable, he said, to secure 100 additional pine trees'for replacements and to extend the planted area. Good progress was, also being made with the formation of the hard tennis-courts near the Paterson street entrance. . ,

Loosening the Sea-bed. Blasting operations were carried out today to loosen the sea-bed around the wharves near the main gates in order to obtain sufficient depth for coastal vessels. The Wellington Harbour Board's pilo driver was used this morning to drill; through the accumulation of sediment which it was impossible for a tucket-dredge to remove. The bucket-dredge has been working in the vicinity for some time past, during which many tons of debris and silt have been taken out. A continual watch is kept to maintain the required depth about the- wharves, but it is unusual for blasting to bo necessary. Blasting has been carried out at Clyde Quay Wharf and at tho Dock Wharf in the past, but the bucket-dredge usually removes the silt which is continually gathering at the wharves. Supreme Court Habitues. No matter how arid, proceedings may be, it* is seldom that the rail and the few seats at the back of the Supreme1 Court in Wellington are not supporting someone. Cases in which there is some feminine interest and others, which, although containing none, have some element to, whet curiosity, usually may be counted upon to attract a fair attendance in the ladies' gallery upstairs. Then it is that, the Court orderly (Constable Harvey) has to keep a/wary eye open from his chair- on the floor of the Court,' for the ladies often allow their curiosity to get the better of them, and are prone to stand up and lean over the rail to obtain a better view. That is not permitted. Among the male "patrons" there are two', elderly gentlemen, apparently living 'in retirement who attend .almost /every day. Often they sit together./ ~■.->